With less than two weeks to the start of the new academic year, Burnt Savannah Primary School in St. Elizabeth remains a shell of itself following the passage of Hurricane Melissa last October.
A video obtained by our news centre shows the extent of the damage, both inside the school and across the compound.
Large sections of the school remain without roofs, leaving classrooms, bathrooms and other facilities exposed to the elements.
In a video shared with our news centre, pieces of tarpaulin can be seen draped over sections of the building, while tents have been erected on the compound.
Inside, the damage is extensive.
Several classrooms are without furniture, while others have desks and chairs scattered throughout.
Whiteboards are also damaged.
Other board structures have been left broken and exposed and sheets of zinc can be seen strewn across the compound.
The condition of the institution is raising concerns among parents, who Nationwide News understands have been expressing frustration over the uncertainty surrounding where their children will attend classes when the new school year begins.
In July, the Principal of Burnt Savannah Primary, Janet Stephenson-Atkinson, told Nationwide News that no repairs had been carried out at the school since Hurricane Melissa.
At the time, Executive Director of the National Education Trust, Latoya Harris-Ghartey, said repairs were expected to begin within two weeks.
But Nationwide News has been reliably informed that since our report in July, a contractor removed the remaining roof from the building but has not returned to carry out further work.
With the new academic year fast approaching, questions remain about whether the necessary repairs will be completed in time and what arrangements will be made for students if the school is not ready.
